Financial relationship between Amsa and the Health Care Agency |21 November 2019

 Amsa Renal care reacts to health authorities’ communications

Amsa Renal Care (Amsa) has sent the following press release in response to the recent press communications from the Health Care Agency and Ministry of Health relating to the financial relationship between Amsa and the Health Care Agency:

“The contract between Amsa and the Health Care Agency started in April 2015. There is presently 178 patients from Mahé attending and making use of the services. It is well known that since April 2015 to date, Amsa has provided exemplary quality renal care services, with high standards of patient care assured at all times, to great satisfaction of the patients and as a result ensured a zero mortality rate.

“Amsa has also delivered beyond the realms of its contractual obligations by providing free transport to all patients on Mahé, over the years, to add to the overall comfort and care of the patients.

“It is unfortunate that the Health Care Agency has made public ongoing financial discussions between the Health Care Agency, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance and Amsa. These discussions remain ongoing and confidential. No-one is talking about the various expenditures that Amsa has incurred but not charged the Health Care Agency to date. Amsa has valued these facilities with the objective of giving the best in class services to the dialysis patients of Seychelles. For example, for transport of patients alone, since April 2015 for over 88,000 dialysis sessions, Amsa has spent over R15 million. This has never been charged to the Health Care Agency.

“The Health Care Agency is claiming a sum of R40 million from Amsa, for the period of 2015 to 2018. The claim resulted from a financial audit of the Health Care Agency, recommended by the Finance Public Audit Committee (FPAC) of the Seychelles National Assembly. This claim is being opposed by Amsa on the basis of fact that it is not justified under the agreement that Amsa has with the Health Care Agency. Furthermore through the letter dated November 18, 2019, a claim in the sum of R6,193,822.56 has been raised under the goods & services provided from the Health Care Agency for the period of January 1, 2019 to October 31, 2019, which is again unjustified and not acceptable.

“It is Amsa’s contention that the Health Care Agency owes Amsa a sum close to R20 million on the basis of raised invoices for services rendered in the provision of dialysis services, for a period of 3 months, which to date have not been paid. The non-payment has greatly affected the services rendered by Amsa, with the result now that Amsa has been unable to provide the extra services of transportation. This we understand has caused grave inconvenience and suffering to the patients.Further Amsa’s ongoing billing claim is increasing by approximately R3 million for every fortnight of operation.

“Amsa values that patient care and treatment cannot be compromised and hence it is Amsa’s wish that the Health Care Agency, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance will come to their good senses and bring the matter to a swift close, for the sake of the dialysis patients of Seychelles and to the people of Seychelles, as a whole.”

Press Release from Amsa Renal Care

Disclaimer: The claims and statements made in this press release are entirely those of Amsa Renal Care and not those of the Seychelles NATION newspaper.